Method of operation for the separation of liquids.



c. w. McKlBBEN.

METHOD OF OPERATION FOR THE SEPARATION OF LIQUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. I7. I918.

Patented Mar. 11,1919.

exams w. MoKIBBEN, or nous'ron, 'rnxns.

METHOD OF OPERATION FOR THE SEPARATION OF LIQUIDS.

messes.

'To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. MoKnv' BEN a citizen of the United States, residing at l-Ioust'o'n, in the county of Harris and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods, of Operation for the Separation of Liquids, of

' which the following is a specification.

i One of the objects of my invention is to provide a method of operation for the separation of liquids in which one liquid is held or bound in another liquid in a state of tension, as in emulsionsof oil and water, whereby a series of separating devices may suitably be connected together in an electric circuit to greatly augment the process of separation and to increase the capacity of the plant without requiring close supervision of the electrical apparatus employed for supplyin the current for! the purpose.

. Another 0 ject of my invention is the. provision of suitable apparatus whereby my method ofseparation may be efliciently car ried into efi'ect. V

In the Patent No. 987,117 to Cottrell et al th'ere is' disclosed a separating apparatus substantially such as illustrated and described herein, with the exception that the source of electric supply is constant potential in character with variable current. In this disclosure, the arrangementof the cir- .cuit, in connection with the separatin device, is such, that when the lobules o water that are held captive in t e body'of the oil arrange themselves in nascent chains or streams between the electrodes, paths 'of relatively lowresistance are thus established between the electrodes thereby causing great increase in the value of the current and substantially short-circuiting the electrical apparatus, causing the circuit breaker to open, thus requiring constant expensive supervision. V

To prevent formation of chains, Oottrell rotates one of the electrodes so as to break.

rEIp the chains and prevent their formation. mm a series of experiments applicant has found-that the separation is 'e'lfected perfectly when the electrical field is produced by current that may be restricted in value, or prevented from increasing to such an extent as to become discontinued at an time.

Under such circumstances, mec anical agitation of the liquid is not essential, although it may be employed without materially varying the effect produced, The

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Mar, 11, 1919, Application filed-August 17; 1918'. Serial no. 250,346

. only object of agitatin the liquid is to prevent the formation 0 chains of polarized globules and theconsequent rise of current value to an. uncontrollable degree.

As a matter of convenience I have illustrated and described the apparatus shown in the aforesaid Cottrell patent,wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus showing my method of conelectrode 3 which, though it may be of any suitable structure and character, is here shown as a conical annular series of wires.

Within the fixed outer electrode 3 and separated therefrom is a rotating inner electrode 4 which may also be of any suitable structural character, being here shown as a conical annular series of wires. In carrying my invention into eifect,'it is unnecessary that the series of electrodes should be rotated or movable at all. The movement of the liquid passing through the separator when moving with suitable rapidity serves to break up or prevent formation of the chains of globules, the high potential effect of the current and the moving liquid cooperating to overcome the surface tension,

of the oilenvelops or filaments inclosing the water globules.

In the particular embodiment, the inner electrode 4 is carried on a shaft'5, whichis itself mounted in a spider 6, which latter is supported on insulator 7 on the top of the hopper of the shell 1. When it is desirable to rotate the inner electrode, rotary motion may be imparted to the shaft 5 in the proper manner, as for example by means of the pulley 8 and the belt 9.

10 is an outlet near the bottom of the shell l'but raised above the floor thereof,

"slightl so that the separated water, indicated y 11, may accumulate and rise sufficiently to flow off in a small stream to the lower'portion of the outlet 10, while the oil will flow ofi through the remaining upper portion of the outlet and the two liquids may thus be received separated. The outer fixed electrode may be electrically connected to the ground, as at 12, and is also connected,

by a wire 13 to one of the high potential terminals of the current-regulating transformer T. The high potential transformer T is of the well known constant current type, comprising a fixed coil 16 and a vertically movable coil 17 adapted to move over abundle of vertically disposed Wires 18 and connected to the walking beam lever 19, as

by a flexible member 20. When the'transformerT is set to produce a given maximum current, the current is automatically divided equally among the transformers, shown in Fig. 3, or it is divided proportional to their respective needs, and under no circumstances will the currentincrease in value to an extent beyond that determined by the adj ustment of the transformer. By this means the separation of the oil from the water is sufliciently effected without danger-of excessive current development.

I am convinced that the polarization of the water globules, so necessary for breaking down the surface tension of the oil'filaments inclosing the globules and permitting, on

rupture, coalescence of the water particles, is effected by the difference of electric potential rather than the current that is made to pass through the emulsion. Therefore,

increase of current Value is a disadvantage,.

tending to reduce the voltage as the current is enhanced and decreasing the polarizing produce an electrical field in each said separator through which the liquid is to be passed and automatically controlling the electric current by the condition of the liquid in said separators, to prevent its rise above'a predetermined value, but suflicient to produce the effect desired. a

2. Improvements in the art of liquidsamociated in emulsions which consists in providing a plurality of-sep-arators, each containing a pair of electrodes; agitatseparating ing the-liquid in said separators; connecting the said electrodes in electric circuit to produce an electric field in each separator through which the liquid is to be passed and automatically controlling the electric current by thecondition of the liquid in said separators to preventits rise above a predetermined value but to maintain sufiicient strength to produce the result desired.

3. Improvements in them-t of separating liquids associated in emulsions which con.- sists 1n provldnig a plurallty of separators .each containing a pair of electrodes; passing emulsified liquid into the said separators; agitating the liquid while in'the separators by its own movement or otherwise; connect- 7 ing the said separators in parallel electric circuit; automatically dividing the electric current, of predetermined value, between said separators and automatically controlling the electric current by the condition of the liquid in said separators, as a whole, to

'prevent its increase above ,a' predetermined value, While mamtalned at sufliclent strength to produce the results desired.

4. Apparatus for separatin emulsions comprising a series 0 vertical cylinders each containing a pair of electrodes and havingan' opening near its bottom and top end through'which to'pass liquids; a

source of electric current; a re ulator for said current to prevent its rise above a predetermined value; and, an electric circuit containing said regulator and said separators in parallel relation. v

In testimony whereof I hereunto subscribe my name.

oHARLEs w. McKIBBEN.

liquids in 

